Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, concerned about gas prices, has cancelled his visit to Ukraine.
Photo: Ilya Pitalev
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Fradkov’s Visit to Ukraine Put Off
// Russia has punished Ukraine for its refusal to comply with the gas ultimatum
Visit
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov was to arrive in Kiev at 9 a.m., Moscow time, today, the second day of the anniversary of the Orange Revolution, to propose Ukraine to buy Russian gas at European prices from January 1, 2006. However, the premier suddenly cancelled his visit yesterday. Unofficial sources claim that Russia has thus punished its neighbor unwilling to comply with the gas ultimatum.
Mr. Fradkov was to discuss with his Ukrainian counterpart Yury Ekhanurov prices on the Russian gas and the gas transit to Europe and demand that from 2006 Ukraine abandon barter transactions on the Russian gas transit to Europe and pay for the Russian gas it consumes at the so-called average European price of $160 per 1,000 cu. meters. The gas has cost Ukraine $50 per 1,000 cu. meters since 2000, and the country did not in cash, but counted it as a price for the transit. Russia has already suggested ready money for the transit, if Ukraine agrees to pay $160 for it own purchases. Moscow would not hear to any objections and discuss the matter, according to the information Kommersant obtained. Russian officials supposed that Ukrainian leaders would give in and they were aware of this rigid stance. Yet, Moscow was set to note that Ukraine did not need to surrender right away. Ukrainians would only have to say they had taken the proposal into account, promise to think it over and eventually accept it fully before the New Year without a fuss and sign the documents somehow.
Sources of Kommersant also report that Mikhail Fradkov was going to deliver Vladimir Putin’s refusal to Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko’s invitation to take “an observer” part in the constituent forum of the Community of Democratic Choice which the Russian presidential administration strongly disliked. The first session of “the community of democracies of the Baltic-Black Sea-Caspian region” would take place in Kiev on December 2.
An official statement of the Russian Government was circulated yesterday. It reads: “Prime Minister of the Russian Government M.E. Fradkov spoke to Prime Minister of Ukraine Yu.I. Ekhanurov on November 22… The conversation highlighted the need to come to an agreement on the issue of natural gas supplies to Ukraine and the transit of the Russian gas on the territory of Ukraine in 2006. The officials have pledged to liven up the negotiations of the agencies which are charge of this matter. M.E. Fradkov and Yu.I. Ekhanurov arranged to set the time for the meeting as the situation will require.”
This is not the first visit that the prime minister cancels. Mikhail Fradkov earlier failed to come to a visit to Portugal scheduled on November 9-10, which stirred rumors of the premier’s illness. Unofficial reports even said that when the prime minister was going back from China to Russia his plane had to land in Khabarovsk so that Fradkov could go to a hospital. However, this time around, it is not a matter of illness, officials admit off the record. Sources of Kommersant in the Russian Government said that Ukraine had taken an unexpectedly rigid stance on the gas issue. Supposedly, it was not Prime Minister Ekhanurov, but some “higher official” (a heavry hint at President Yushchenko). Russian authorities saw that Ukraine was not going to take anything into account, to think something over or to assume a future agreement, but is going to keep bargaining. So after Fradkov and Ekhanurov talked on the phone when a real perspective of today’s talks became clear, Moscow made all the tougher decision: Mikhail Fradkov will not go and demand the surrender but he will stay in Moscow and clam up till Ukraine itself issues a sign of surrender.
The Russian authorities are determined to wait for the time being till Ukraine gives in as there is no other way for it, Moscow believes. Russia controls practically all gas that goes to Ukraine, including the Turkmen and the Kazakh gas, under the accords it signed this month. So Ukraine cannot find a place to buy cheaper gas. In case it tries to seize transit gas, the sum will be added to Ukraine’s state debt, as the country earlier agreed to that. The sum will be counted at European prices, since it will be a theft from Germany and France – the countries where the gas goes to. At a pinch, Russia may offer Ukraine to conclude monthly contracts to buy the Russian gas at $160 from January 1.
Pyotr Netreba
All the Article in Russian as of Nov. 23, 2005
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